Mallorca Restaurants: Recommendations & Reviews

[jayrayner]

Off to Mallorca for a week this saturday. We're staying not far from Palma. ANybody have any thoughts on good, relaxed mid range places; the kind of places you could go with a three year old for great sea food or tapas, perhaps largely outside.

[AdamLawrence]

Jay

Just back from a week's golfing in Mallorca, but unfortunately at the other end of the island, so I don't have any specific Palma recs for you. However, I'll offer a couple of thoughts:

* the place in general was far, far nicer than I expected. The Tramuntana mountains are spectacularly beautiful, and I must go back sometime with my hillwalking friends to do the descent of Es Torrent de Pareis;

* Assuming you'll have a car, try to get to the town of Sineu on Wednesday (market day). Huge market, interesting food products, especially hams and cheeses. There's also a guy selling any number of live birds if you want to appall sensitive types. Lovely town, has a number of nice, trad Mallorquin restaurants for lunch. Two are recommended in the Rough Guide (can't remember the names off the top of my head, but if you haven't got the book I can probably dig them out), but we cocked up and left the guide book in the car and ended up in another, Es Celler S'on Toreo. Grilled rabbit with garlic excellent; wife's bacalao in tomato sauce also very good; crema catalana terrific. Couple of beers, water: 33 euros. Can't complain.

* Mallorquin wine is better than I expected, but the Jose L Ferrer stuff, the most common brand is not that great, at least at crianza level (I didn't try the riserva or gran riserva). I preferred the wine of Bodegas Ribas, from the same area, Binissalem, which is Mallorca's first DO. The local whites are ordinary at best.

* Seafood was pretty good everywhere we went.

* Apparently, the island is one of the biggest caper-growing areas in Europe, and you can find loads in the market at Felanitx on Sundays. I wish I'd known that before I went, I use loads of capers.

* If you want to bring back jamon de bellota and don't find any during the week (I didn't, but I wasn't looking that closely), the deli airside at Palma airport sells it. I dare say it's rather more expensive than ordinary shops though.

Sorry I can't help for Palma, hope this is useful though

cheers

Adam

ediot: forgot the ham stuff

Edited April 30, 2003 by AdamLawrence (log)

[jayrayner]

Thanks Adam. Much appreciated. Will report back if I find 'owt good down palma way.

[Lord Michael Lewis]

Tristan, in Portals Nous near Palma. German chef, a bit jet-set, yet surprisingly excellent. If the weather's good make sure you sit on the terrace.

Edited April 30, 2003 by Lord Michael Lewis (log)

[AdamLawrence]

I was going to mention Tristan, it's the name that kept coming up while I was looking at places to eat. Not exactly midrange though; it's 2* Michelin, isn't it?

cheers

Adam

[Lord Michael Lewis]

I was going to mention Tristan, it's the name that kept coming up while I was looking at places to eat. Not exactly midrange though; it's 2* Michelin, isn't it?

cheers

Adam

Yes you're right, it is very expensive, but is also the best restaurant of it's kind in Mallorca.

Alternatively he could look through these 3 pages of recommendations from Guia Campsa. Koldo Royo is very good, but it's Basque, so might not be appropriate.

[jayrayner]

Thanks Michael. being Euro trash, we're staying pretty close to Portals Nous so we may give it a go.

[shilly]

Hi there Jay

I wondered if you had any recommendations from your Mallorca trip? We're off in a couple of weeks....

Steve

[sandra]

If you don't want to go all out at Tristan, just along the port in Portals Nous is Flanagan's, more casual and still Michelin recommended - very good tortilla de patatas and more relaxed...big menu...

We did have have a great meal at Tristan, get the tasting menu....

[Akiko]

Does anyone have information or links they can point me to concerning Mallorca?

It looks like we will be spending a few days at the Mardavall Spa hotel in Costa D'en Blanes...and other than the hotel I know nothing about Mallorca or the area we are staying in.

We'll have a car, are there restaurants, sights, food markets, food products I shouldn't miss?

[Rogelio]

Mallorca is one of the nicest and taughest holidays destinations in Spain, there are as meny tourists then hiden nice places to visit.

The most beatiful part of the island is the Sierra de Tramuntana in the North west, where Fornalutx, Valldemosa, Soller and Deia are worth a visit.

Restaurants:

The best place for authentic renewed Majorquian food is Celler Can Amer, C/ de la pau, in Inca.

For modern mediterranean style:

Bens d'Avalls, Urbanización Costa Deià, ctra. Sóller-Deia 07100 Sóller 971632381

Koldo Royo,Paseo Marítimo in Palma, good vasque-mediterranean food with good views of the Palma bay

For good international/mediterranean restaurants:

Hotel Restaurante Read's, Ca'n Moragues 971140261 Road E-07320 in Santa María.

Tristan, Puerto Portals, local 1. 07081 Portal Nous. Mallorca 971675547. Email: tristan.portals@mail.cinet.es

Ca's Puers in Soller is a good option if you have a big wallet.

El Olivo in Deia, a Relais and Chateux in the most beautiful village of the island.

Wines:

Finca Son Bordils, specially Son Bordils Negre, with the autocton variety manto negro

AN(Anima negra) and Son Negre, The best Majorcan wines.

Wines of Miquel Gelabert, a wide range of interesting wines.

Typical Products:

Sobrasada: Kind of pork saussage done with the whole pork and lots of pimenton (Paprika)

Ensaimada: Sweet puff-pastry done with pork fat. Very nice but also hard to find a good one.

Dishes:

Sopas Mallorquinas (Vegetable and bread soup), Meat Filled Aubergines, cocas (The local vegetable pizzas?), Tumbet (Fried vegetables with tomato), Trempó (Vegetable salad), escalduns (Chicken with potatoes), arros brut (rice dish) and the mediterranean fishes (red mullet, llampuga)...

[dls]

In Palma, I would also recommend Tristan and Koldo Royo. Porto Pi, which normally adds a few game dishes to the menu in the winter, is usually very good. Also, look into Convent de la Missio in a hotel of the same name (not open to the public on all evenings). For tapas and casual fare, try La Boveda.

If you get to Deia, Olivo, Ca's Xorc, and Es Raco d'es Teix are all good choices.

[pedro]

The old fashioned Rififí, in Palma, serves excellent seafood and the traditional "caldereta de langosta". Mouth already watering. The rice in Sa Cranca wasn't bad at all last time I was there. It's also in Palma, near Koldo Royo (I concur with this recommendation).

My experience at El Olivo was not specially good. NY/Paris markups on wine, and the food was nothing to write home about.

[pedro]

I'll be also going to Mallorca in a couple of weeks. I'm interested if anyone has tried Tristán and what's the feedback about it. I'm considering to lunch there if it's really worth it.

Koldo Royo and Celler Can Amer also appear in my schedule. Open to other recs., as always.

Edited March 1, 2004 by pedro (log)

[The Viking]

Refreshing the topic a bit since I'm on my way to Mallorca this upcoming weekend.

Alas: We're going to the ah so touristy area of Cala Millor, and are looking for good rec's in this area. So far I've tried with success Pula Restaurant, Son Floriana and Sa Punta, the latter being quite a pleasant surprise despite its location in the middle of Totally commercialised tourism.

We do have a car for the entire period so wer're not entirely location dependent, but bear in mind that the two kids are coming with us, so any 8-course 4-hour dinner is out of the question (although the children are very wellbehaved).

[Corinna Dunne]

I’m off to Mallorca (staying in Palma) for a few days in mid October, so need your help. I was there a few years ago and tried the following places: Le Bodegeuitta (specialises in meat and game); El Pilon (old style tapas bar, great atmosphere); Bar Dia (a “formica” cheap tapas bar with great pimientos de Padrons); and Meson Can Pedros, Genova (slow cooked lamb, out of town, a bit touristy)

I have a strong recommendation for Es Verger, in the mountains above Alaro, which reputedly does the best roast lamb on the island. And from Googling and the Rough Guide, the following look interesting:

Fish restaurants at the harbour in Palma

* La Lubina: Palma’s “most traditional” fish restaurant. Great sea bass in salt apparently

* Caballito del Mar: The Rough Guide says it was great but has gone off a bit. Renouned for their sea bream in salt.

* Can Eduardo

Tapas

* La Boveda: many recommendations, apparently long queues, are they worth it?

* Casa Manolo

* Celler Can Amer

* El Bodegon

* La Taberna del Caracol

Restaurants general

* Celler Sa Premsa, a rustic ambiance with typical Mallorcan food

Upscale

* Tristan, a branch of Tantris in Munich. Has anyone tried it?

Basically, I am looking to do one lunch out of Palma (Es Verger sounds good) and the rest in town. So any comments on what is listed above, or any other recommendations would be very welcome. I am particularly interested in finding a good fish restaurant, and a place that cooks seafood a la plancha like Rafas in Roses. Thanks in advance.

[Rogelio]

Tapas

* Celler Can Amer

←

Celler Can Amer is not a tapas bar at all, but a wonderful and traditional restaurants in an old cellar in the town of Inca.

For fish and seafood try Celler Sa Sinia (Pescadores, s/n. 971824323) in Puerto Colón, 12 kms from Felanitx.

[pedro]

I haven't been to Tristan since it was closed for lunch last time I tried. I went to Tristan bistrot, which is located next door. Let's say I don't plan to come back any time soon.

For upscale dining, Ses Rotges with a French chef in its kitchen, seems to be a good choice.

[JennyUptown]

How about budget-friendly recommendations? We're staying at the Barcelo Albatross. Thanks!

[The Viking]

Next weekend Palma has the undistinguished pleasure of my presence, and this time we're not planning on any major excursions other than brunch on the sunday at Hotel Gran Son Net.

So far we've booked La Boveda for thursday night and Fabrica 23 for friday evening.

BUT:

Would love some recent updates on some of the above mentioned restaurants and reccomendations..

How was it?

[Corinna Dunne]

Viking, I haven't been yet (will be there the week after you), so no update on La Boveda. Have you been there before or is your booking based on recommendations? I'd also be interested in any info you have on Fabrica 23. I googled it briefly but would like your take on it too.

[vserna]

Well, if you don't mind eating a well-disciplined German chef's dishes, Gerhard Schwaiger's Tristán at Portals Nous is probably the best restaurant on the island. Also noteworthy are:

the very smart modern-Majorcan cuisine of Bens d'Avall at Sóller

the well-known restaurant run by the reliable Basque-born chef Koldo Royo in Palma

the rather inexpensive, Majorcan-themed Es Baluard in Palma, with a very solid cuisine

and a sentimental favorite of mine, Ca'na Cucó, in Calviá,an honest, down-home Majorcan kind of place in a country house

[The Viking]

Thanks Victor:

Bens d'Avall is definetely on my short list, and we'll try to go there as a part of our day out this upcoming friday.

I've been to Tristan twice, and was not too impressed, a little bit to predictable Michelin* style for me, and the service was definetely very German; cold and distant.

I'll definetely look up Es Baluard, but might opt for tapas or similar on saturday night, any great options besides La Boveda?

[vserna]

Makes me think - there's always been a group of highly distinguished German chefs in Spain, much backed by Michelin, but they never seem to fully connect with the local clientele or even with a foreign one. I have just heard now of the demise of one of these acclaimed German-owned restaurants - Girasol in Moraira, north of Alicante, which sported two Michelin stars to the very end, closed on Sept. 19. It seems that its owner/chef, Joachim Koerper, will now move to the presumably more popular Gigantea restaurant at the Mas Passamaner Hotel in La Selva del Camp in southern Catalonia, west of Tarragona.

[The Viking]

Victor: Having his personal supervision will definetely do magic for Mas Passamaner; stayed there in May withthe family, and because of our baby girl we had all our dinners at the restaurant which tried hard but didn't quite make it, and not enough variety in presentation and dishes for three consecutive dinners... They were extremely good with teh kids, though..

Slightly OT:

Any rec's for best wine shops in Palma or where to find the best pata negra at a favourable price (Sanchez Romero de Caravajall)? Not Club de Gourmet at El Corte Ingles, but any other centrally located venue will be great!